01/05/1963
Some buildings have been cleared, others are in process of being razed and scores of others are marked for early demolition in the program that will expend more than 55 million this year on right-of-way for the Downtown Freeway
Six residential buildings have been razed on East Missouri avenue, one on North El Paso street, and one on North Santa Fe street, and a dozen others are either being demolished or are marked for clearance immediately.
All properties adjacent to East Missouri avenue are scheduled for immediate purchase and clearance this year, all the way from Campbell street to Piedras street.
Highway officials hope that all properties for the Freeway can be acquired by negotiations. But those along Missouri avenue, as well as elsewhere, that can not be acquired with reasonable speed by negotiation will be taken by condemnation proceedings so that there will be no delay in construction of the Freeway.
All operations incident to the Downtown Freeway project are under direction of District Engineer E. W. Mars of the State Highway Department, with Assistant District Engineer Max Moore in active charge, and with Herbert L. Niemeier in direct charge of right-of-way purchase
“We have purchased and hold deeds to 50 properties acquired for the Freeway, or, as we’ll call it, the Urban Expressway,” Mr. Niemeier said.
“That is about one-sixth of the total number of separate properties involved. The total number is about 320 properties.”
Mr. Niemeier said the State Highway Department paid more than $1.25 million for the 50 properties acquired. He said the properties scheduled for purchase this year will cost more than $5 million, based on preliminary estimates of their value.
“We have had wonderful co-operation by the property owners in closing out the transactions so far,” Mr. Niemeier said. “We have every reason to expect full co-operation in future negotiations for properties. All of our appraisers are El Pasoans. They know property values. Each property is appraised by two appraisers working separately. The State intends to be fair with each property owner.”
Property purchases are now moving at a rapid clip. Some of the best known properties in the City have been acquired.
Among those recently acquired are the Georgette Apartments at 711 North Stanton street, a three-story structure extending a half block back to the alley; the Carpenter Paper Co. property at 2000 East Missouri avenue, and the Crawford Sash and Door Co. property at 1630 East Missouri.
Hotel To Go
Purchase of the Oasis Hotel property, a three-story building at 711 North Oregon street, was announced 10 days ago.
Occupants of all buildings purchased are given reasonable time to vacate. The Oasis Hotel is to be vacated by March. But the management of the Georgette Apartments indicated to State highway officials that the building will be vacated by Feb. 1.
In addition to the 50 properties already purchased, appraisals have been made on about 50 other properties. And 20 property owners on Missouri avenue between Campbell and Piedras streets have signed agreements to sell at specific prices, but the transactions are not closed.
The houses that have been razed were sold on bids to buyers who specialize in house wrecking, and sale of whatever materials can be salvaged.
Bricks Cleaned
Two residential buildings, each a two-story apartment building on the northwest corner of Missouri avenue and Ochoa street, were sold to J. F. Campbell of 3014 Wyoming avenue; also one building on the southwest corner of the same street intersection. The one on the southwest corner already is razed and the bricks are being cleaned. One on the northwest corner is razed and the other is in process of being razed.
Mr. Campbell, long experienced in the house wrecking business, said the State Highway Department has called for bids on several additional buildings. He said competition in the building wrecking trade is keen, and that the State “comes out very well in disposing of the buildings that must be cleared for the Freeway.”
He said there is a strong demand for old bricks that are in good condition and that have been well cleaned of old mortar. "Some of the most expensive new dwellings in El Paso are built of old brick — and the older the more desirable they are," he said.
Got Property
The State has acquired the property on the southwest corner of Missouri avenue and Virginia street, and the old residence that was there since El Paso was young has been razed. That property is across Missouri avenue from the two-story building long occupied by the Velvet Ice Cream Co. — a building doomed for early razing.
An apartment house at 714 North El Paso street, two and a half stories high, has been bought by the Highway Department, and the “ancient” structure has been razed. That property is directly west, through the block, from the Oasis Hotel. The apartment building at 718 North El Paso street, just north of the one razed, will not be disturbed. It is north of the Freeway right-of-way line. Workmen are engaged in razing the three-story, brick apartment building at 700 North El Paso street, and the two-story house at 704 North El Paso, these properties being among those purchased for the right-of-way.
One house has been demolished on Santa Fe street in the 700 block, and others have been purchased by the State.
Describes Plans
Close examination of the engineering plans for the Downtown freeway shows that the project will change the appearance of the area it traverses much more than is commonly grasped.
The Freeway plans call not only for the main thoroughfare, but for a series of ramps and overpasses or underpasses in the near downtown area. The Freeway will begin to swing north from Missouri avenue just west of St. Vrain street, and will be depressed like an open tunnel before it reaches Campbell street.
The depressed portion will continue well west of Santa Fe street, in fact to about Prospect avenue.
Ramp Planned
There will be a ramp turnout from the main Freeway just west of St. Vrain street and extending along the main Freeway some distance, then passing over the Freeway, and coming down to surface level on Missouri avenue and extending on west for spacious flow of traffic into the downtown area. There will be other ramps, and special features.
The Freeway right-of-way will not take any property, other than a small area, south of Wyoming avenue and west of Campbell street. The Freeway route through the central section of the City, between Campbell and Santa Fe streets, will absorb Wyoming avenue and extend north toward Yandell drive. The right-of-way at one point east of Stanton will extend to Yandell drive.
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